Northwest Europe
LSMGO availability is good for prompt delivery in the wider ARA hub. Recommended lead times are 2-4 days for the bunker fuel grade, according to a trader.
Lead times of 5-7 days are recommended for HSFO and VLSFO in the ARA hub, the trader added.
The ARA’s independently held fuel oil stocks averaged 5% higher in December than in November, according to Insights Global Data.
The region imported 220,000 b/d of fuel oil in December, slightly down from 225,000 b/d imported in November, according to cargo tracker Vortexa.
The UK became the ARA hub’s topmost fuel oil import source, accounting for 18% of its total fuel oil imports in December. Poland (12%) ranked second, while Germany (10%) came third. Other import sources were Lithuania (8%), and Sweden and Turkey (7% each).
Meanwhile, the ARA hub’s independent gasoil inventories — which include diesel and heating oil — increased by 1% in December. The ARA imported 373,000 b/d of gasoil in December, down from 382,000 b/d of gasoil imported in November.
Off Skaw, HSFO availability continues to be tight, and only non-prompt deliveries with 7-10 days of lead times are available, a trader said. LSMGO and VLSFO availability is comparatively better with shorter lead times of 5-7 days.
Bunker fuel availability is normal in the German port of Hamburg. Lead times of 3-5 days are recommended for all grades in the port.
Mediterranean
Prompt HSFO availability is tight across Gibraltar Strait ports. One supplier has held back offers this week as it is working on resupply cargo, adding pressure on others’ supply, a trader said. Lead times of 5-7 days are recommended for the grade, up from last week’s 4-5 days.
LSMGO and VLSFO availability is relatively better in the Gibraltar Strait ports. Lead times of 4-6 days are recommended for LSMGO, and 5-6 days for VLSFO. Strong wind gusts of up to 27 knots are forecast to hit the region on Friday, which could impact bunkering in the ports there.
Availability is good across all grades off Malta, a trader said. Bunker operations were briefly halted on Tuesday due to adverse weather conditions. Calmer weather conditions are forecast for the remaining days of this week.
HSFO availability is tight off Malta, while the availability for VLSFO and LSMGO grades is normal, a source said.
In the Turkish port of Istanbul, currently, availability of all grades is normal, a source said. Adverse weather conditions hit Istanbul on Wednesday, which caused some bunkering delays in the port.
Strong wind gusts of 29 knots were also reported in the Greek port of Piraeus on Wednesday. Despite rough weather conditions, some suppliers can deliver all bunker grades within two days, a trader said.
Africa
Vessel diversions around the Cape of Good Hope since December have sparked high demand in most African ports.
Availability of VLSFO is good for non-prompt dates in the South African ports of Durban and Richards Bay. Lead times of 5-7 days are recommended for the grade, according to a trader. LSMGO tightness continues at both ports with lead times stretching to over ten days.
LSMGO availability has not improved and is still very tight, the trader noted.
Mozambique ports of Nacala and Maputo have continued to witness high bunker demand since last month due to vessel diversions. Demand for HSFO and VLSFO grades has been high in Nacala, a source told ENGINE
VLSFO is currently tight in Nacala, while HSFO and LSMGO availability is normal, the source added.
Furthermore, barge tightness has eased in Maputo, the source said. Barge availability has been very tight in the past two weeks due to a spike in demand from diverted vessels.
Meanwhile, both VLSFO and LSMGO grades are tight in availability at Maputo.
The Red Sea diversions have sparked a surge in bunker demand across West Africa, global bunker supplier Monjasa’s senior bunker trader Simon Piredda told ENGINE earlier this week.
The highest activity levels have been seen at the Lome anchorage off Togo and bunker areas off Ivory Coast and Congo, Piredda said.
He also highlighted the increasing demand at Namibia’s Walvis Bay, particularly due to the Red Sea situation. “These are refuelling locations involving the least deviation considering the rerouting of the vessels and the least costs of bunker-only calls,” Piredda explained.
Piredda added that Monjasa can supply all bunker grades at these locations, despite the challenging circumstances. “The availability situation and supply logistics are surely being tested right now, however, at present all grades can be arranged by Monjasa with sufficient notice”, he said.
Meanwhile, availability for all grades is normal at Port Louis in Mauritius. Demand at the port is currently normal and not too high, a trader said.
Source: ENGINE, By Manjula Nair, https://engine.online/news